How Nancy Pelosi Nailed This AI Stock Options Trade, Plus 5 More Political Insider Picks

Barchart Insights Barchart Thu Jul 3, 7:57AM CDT
American flag on NY Stock Exchange by Chameleonseye via iStock

While most retail investors grind out gains and hope for market clarity, U.S. politicians are making some of the most profitable stock trades in the entire market — often right before major announcements or legislation hits the floor.

In this article, we’re highlighting 6 recent trades made by members of Congress that raised eyebrows — not just for the timing, but for how well they’ve performed since. And yes, you can track all of them — in real time — on Barchart's Politician Insider Trading Activity Tracker.

Trade #1: Nancy Pelosi’s Call Options on Tempus AI (TEM) 

  • Trade: Bought 50 call options at $20
  • Result: Stock soared over +180%
  • Why It Matters: Pelosi’s timing was impeccable — just before a surge on AI momentum and a new biotech partnership announcement. Her 2025 portfolio is already outperforming the S&P 500 ($SPX).

Trade #2: L3Harris (LHX) Purchases Before Middle East Conflict

  • Politicians: Sen. Markwayne Mullin & Rep. Gil Cisneros
  • Role: Armed Services Committee
  • Why It Matters: Both lawmakers bought defense contractor L3Harris just before U.S.-Iran tensions escalated. The trades were disclosed weeks after the buying activity.

Trade #3: CompoSecure (CMPO) and Family Ties

  • Politician: Rep. John Bradford Knott
  • Trade: Bought shares in CMPO — where his brother serves on the board
  • Why It Matters: Insider connection. CompoSecure provides fintech and crypto security tech. Knott’s brother also helps decide executive compensation at the company.

Trade #4: IDEXX Labs (IDXX) and the Biotech Bill Bump

  • Politicians: Reps. April Delaney, Rob Bresnahan, and Jefferson Shreve
  • Trade: Bought IDXX weeks before a biotech funding bill dropped
  • Why It Matters: All 3 sit on committees involved with biotech policy. The stock has rallied over 40% since the purchases.

Trade #5: Palantir (PLTR) — The First Insider Buy, and Politicians Join In

  • Former Exec: Heather Planishek bought $1.1M in shares — the first-ever insider buy in PLTR history
  • Politicians: Reps. Ro Khanna, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and others followed suit
  • Why It Matters: PLTR has heavy political exposure, growing AI defense relevance, and now an insider confidence signal.

Want to Track These Trades Yourself?

Watch this quick reel for the full breakdown:

Then, use these tools on Barchart:


On the date of publication, Barchart Insights did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.